Timber grapple



Jan. 13, 1953 w. A. HYMAN 2,625,424

TIMBER GRAPPLE Filed Dec. 27, 1948 2 SHEETS SHEET l Lumber Gram/eINVENTOR. M'///'am ,4. Hyman WWW-MM A TTORNE Y6 W. A. HYMAN TIMBERGRAPPLE Jan. 13, 1953 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Dec. 27. 1948 Du m w wATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 TIMBER GRAPPLE William A. Hyman,Tacoma, Wash., assignor to Weyerhaeuser Timber Company,

Tacoma,

Wash., a corporation of Washington Application December 27,1948,'Serial'No. 67,31'3

'12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to grapples for handling objects and isparticularly designed for the handling of individual timbers as in alumber yard, although the novel features of the inventionare applicableto other uses.

In the handling of lumber .in lumber mills, lumber yards, or the like,it is expedient and frequently necessary to move the lumber both in theform of individual timbers and as piles of timbers. Standard lumbergrapples suspended from cranesmounted on fixed tracks are conventionallyused for the purpose of handling and moving piles of lumber, but are notadapted to the handling of individual timbers. It has thereforebeen'necessary heretofore to provide a separate device or system ofdevices independent of the lumber grapple for use in thehandling'o'findividual timbers to form piles thereof and 'for otherpurposes.

It is accordingly the primary objectof the invention to provide anauxiliary grapple for handling individual timbers which is operable incombination with a standard lumber grapple. It is also an-object toprovide such-a'grapple that is quickly adjustable without manual aid orwithout the aid of self-contained power means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary grapple thatis entirely operable from a crane through the intermediary of thestandard lumber grapple, including its attachment to and detachment fromthe standard lumber grapple.

Still another objeciris to provide in a grapple mechanism a noveldriving connection for an endless chain with a pair of oppositelyrotatin driving shafts.

A further object is to provide a grapple that is simple'i'n design andinvolves a minimum oflinkage parts. It is also desired to provide a.grapple whose gripping action is actuated'by the Weight of the objectbeing lifted as in the case: :of a pair of: tongs.

Itis yet another object of the invention to pro:- videa grapple for usewiththe standard lumber grapple-which is efigective for piling. timbersin close fitting relation.

Theaboveandstill further objects and advam tages of the inventionwillbecome apparent from a study .of the following specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference.characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,and wherein:

Fi ure .Lis a perspective view showing, the tim- .ber grapple. engaged;:by the. lumber grapple and carrying a timber;

Figure 2 is 'a side'elevation view of the timber grapple by itself withthe load-engaging members in closed position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the timber grapple with theload-engaging members in open position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view corresponding to "Figure 3-; and

Figure 5-is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferredembodiment'of theinvention, there will be "seen in Figure 1 a standard lumber grapple,designated generally by the letter A, attached to the "auxiliary timbergrapple constituting the-subject-matter ofthis invention, designatedgenerally by the letter B, which :is shown carrying a timber C. Thestandard lumber grapple A comprises a frame [0 rotatably mounted in anonrotative frame I 2 suspended by cables from a crane '(not shown)."The grapple A is provided with four" depending arms l4 rotatablymounted in eachcorner of the frame i 0' having their lower endsterminating in horizontally-extending, loadlifting fingers 16', "which,as shown in Figure 1, constitute an engaging connection for the bracketarms t8 of the timber apple B, although they are designed-intheiroriginal intended use, for turning under a load 'of lumber to lift theload somewhat in the manner of a lumber yard straddle truck. When theload of lumber is deposited on supports allowing some clearanceunderneath, *the four arms *are turned outwardly to'clearthe load sothat thegrapple may be lifted straight "up, empty. The lumber grapple Acontains-motors for rotating the frame It! relative to the non-rot'ativestructure I 2 for turning its load,.and also for rotating the dependingarms l4 through anangleof degrees by means of crank and 'pitmanconnections 20 seen protruding from the frame lit).

"The four comers of the grapple are. designated generally by the smallcase letters a, b, c, and d, which are used herein together with thenumeral Ito-identify each. of the four depending arms ;l'4 whenreferring to a specific arm. This same plan of. reference is usedthroughout the speci+ fication for identifying a particular one of anyfour other similar parts with reference to its position in thetour-cornersof. its supporting frame. The depending arms M areinterconnected with the energizing. motor :so as to turn in unison withadjacent arms turning in opposite directions,

or in, other words, only the diagonally opposedarms-turnin.thesamedirection. In: Figure 1, as illustrated. arms.- .Maand Md rotate from a pp-'- sition where their horizontal fingerprojections "5 are substantially in axial alignment (1. e., along a lineconnecting corners a and d) to the position shown where the projectingfingers are parallel, and vice versa.

Lumber grapples of varying design are shown in Patents 1,767,525 toGeorge R. Hoffman, 1,730,- 128 to Robert Z. Drake and 1,564,655 to B. W.Westbo, any of which are illustrative for operation in combination withthe timber grapple of the present invention.

The timber grapple of the present invention, generally designated at Bin Figure l, and shown by itself in side elevation in Figure 2,comprises a rectangular framework 22 (see Figure 4) including asillustrated front and rear longitudinal, beam members 24 and 26 (Figure1), and a pair of transverse spacing members 28. Each of the beammembers constitutes a slidablesupport for a pair of adjustable grabs orload-engaging members 30 and 32 as will be more fully hereinafterdescribed. The frame is provided with a vertical drive shaft 34rotatably mounted in each corner with the axes of said drive shaftsbeing spaced for alignment with the axes of the depending arms [4 of thelumber grapple A. One of the hook-like, upwardly extending bracket armsI8 is fixedly secured to the upper end of each of said drive shafts. Thebracket arms [8 are offset from their shank connection with the drivingshafts 34 as will be observed in Figures 1 and 2, thereby providing ineffect a crank, and in the embodiment illustrated, are reinforced by arib 35 integrally secured thereto as by welding. The

downwardly curved upper end 35 of the bracket arm provides a hook orhanger for'cooperating engaging connection with the horizontal fingers16 of the depending arms of the lumber grapple A.

A driven shaft 38 is mounted in each of the longitudinal members 24 and26 at each corner interiorly of each of the drive shafts 34 and adjacentthereto. The drive shafts on the left-hand side, referring to Figure 1,or at corners a and d, have fixedly secured thereto gear wheels 40 inmeshing engagement with a pinion gear 42 on the driven shaft 38. Thepinion gear 42 has a smaller diameter than the main gears 40, in orderto provide a speed gear ratio. The drive shafts on the right-hand side,referring to Figure 1, or at corners b and c, have fixedly securedthereto sprocket wheels 44 which are drivingly connected by a sprocketchain 46 with sprocket wheels 48 fixedly secured to the adjacent drivenshafts 38. The sprocket wheels 48 are of smaller diameter than thedriving sprocket wheels 44 in the same ratio as the gears 40 and 42. Onthe under side of each of the longitudinal beams 24 and 26, sprocketwheels 50 are fixedly secured to the driven shafts 38 and the two oneach beam are connected in driving engagement with an endless sprocketchain 52 made of two separate pieces. Each of the longitudinal beammembers 24 and 26 is provided on its lower edge with a pair of parallelrails, as seen in Figure 5, which are substantially adjacent the reachesof chain 52. Mounted on each rail is a slidable trolle 54 having the twopieces of sprocket chain 52 connected to the opposite ends thereof bymeans of an adjustable eye-bolt 55 as through the trolley were anotherlink. The trolley is provided with a depending clevis lug 56 in which ispivotally mounted a crank-shaped lifting arm 58 by means of pin 68spaced near the free end of the long horizontal portion of the liftingarm. A'pad or grip plate 62 constituting a load-engaging member ispivotally attached to the short depending portion of the crank arm. Theface of the grip plate 62 is provided with grooves, or otherwiseroughened to facilitate gripping engagement with the sides of a timber.

It will now be observed that when the bracket arm I Set rotatescounterclockwise, referring to Figure 4, the pinion gear 42a, andsprocket wheel 50a will operate to move the front or outside trolley 54to the left, from a closed to an open position, which would release thetimber being carried as shown in Figure 1. At the same time that bracketarm [8a was being rotated counterclockwise, bracket arm lBb would berotating clockwise, in accordance with the operation of the lumbergrapple described above, and would thereby cause driving sprocket 44,driven sprocket wheel 48, and sprocket wheel 5% to rotate so as to pullthe trolley on the rear rail to the right and to permit the fronttrolley to be drawn to the left as above described. Reverse motion ofbracket arms l8a and [8b, from the position shown in Figure 4, which isthe open position of the grapple, will move the trolleys toward eachother to the position illustrated in Figure 2 for engagement with atimber. Operation of the trolleys on the rear beam member 26 connectingcorners c and 11, viewed from the front in the drawings, is similar andcoordinated, the chain connections being arranged to accommodate thereversed rotations of the rear arms [40 and d.

It will thus be appreciated that positive drive of the endless sprocketchain 52 from both sprocket wheels 5811 and b is achieved by theprovision of'the direct gear drive at brackets 18a and d and thesprocket chain drive at brackets 18b and c. It will also be observedthat bracket arms 18 are so positioned on the drive shafts 34 and thetrolleys vare so positioned on the spocket chain 52 that the loadengaging members 62 are urged into closed position for engagement with atimber when the bracket arms are turned toward the planes of the frontand rear longitudinal beam members, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, andthat the hook portions 36 at the top of the bracket arms are facedtoward the horizontal fingers of the depending arms 14 of the lumbergrapple to insure positive engagement therebetween as the fingers on thedepending arms turn from their open position where they point towardeach other, in the case of arms 14a and 14d, to their closed positionwherein the fingers approach the planes of the front and rearlongitudinal members of the timber grapple. The bracket arms |8a and bthen turn to a position at substantially right angles to the front andrear frame members in the open position of the grapple as shown inFigures 3 and 4. It is desired to further point out that while thebracket arms turn only through from the open to the closed position ofthe lumber grapple, such movement is suflicient, because of the ratio ofthe gears employed, to provide the necessary movement of the sprocketchain to effect closing and opening of the load engaging members over asubstantial distance sufficient to accommodate the grapple to a largevariation in size of timbers. In one practical example of the grapple, avariation of 6 to 26 inches was provided between the grip-plates 62. Itwill be obvious that the position of the trolleys corresponding to theopen and closed position of the lifting arms 58 may be adjusted withrespect to the center of the lon- 5. gitudina'l beam members '24 and 281:by altering the placement of the sprocket chain 52 on the sprocketwheels 50.

While the operation of the. device is believed to be fairly clear fromthe foregoing description, it is of interest to note that the timbergrapple unit B may be picked up by the lumber grapple A from a positionof rest by centering the l'um-' ber grapple over the timber grapple withthe depending arms M' of the lumber grapple. in approximate alignmentwith the drive shafts 3 4 of the timber grapple and rotated so thatthefi-ngers 1'6 'are'in the open position of the lumber grapple. Thelumber grapple is then lowered toward the timber grapple until thefingers IShave dropped below the hook portions 36 of the bracket armsIt. The depending arms of the lumber grapple are then rotated with thefingers IG turning toward the center of the lumber grapple untilengagement with the bracket arms IB- is effected, and then the lumbergrapple is raised vertically to position the fingers I B in the hookportions 36 of the bracket arms. Actuation of the bracket arms by thedepending arms of the lumber grapple then efiects engagement anddisengagement of the grip plates with the timber as hereinbeforedescribed.

However, it should be noted in this connection that the chain 52 onlyadjusts the grapple-it is not required to effect engagement of the loadengaging grip-plates 62 with the timber with great force in order tolift the timber. The, conventional form of-"lum'ber grapple A isordinarily equipped with an automatic overload clutch which may beadjusted to a desired tension, for limiting the torque which may beapplied to the arms I4. Such clutch is preferably adjusted so that whenthe grip plates 62 make contact with the timber to be carried, theresistance. to further movement transmitted through the bracket arms isand depending arms 14 causes the clutch to slip without damaging themechanism if the motor is not turned off immediately. The gripping forceon the timber is produced by a virtual camming action initiated by theweight of the timber acting through the medium of the grip-plates 62 onthe lifting crank arms 58 by virtue of their pivotal connection at 60near their ends opposite the grip-plates, thereby resulting in atong-like engagement of the grip plates with the timber or other load.

It is desired to point out as an advantage of the embodiment of theinvention illustrated that the timber grapple. may be used to pile aseries of 'individualtimbers in close-fitting relation, as

for either stock piling of the lumber, or for preparing a temporary pilefor subsequent han- 'dling by the lumber grapple or a straddle truck.For example, the timbers shown in perspective in Figure designated as, DandllE'have already been piled. Timber C in thetimber grapplemay bebrought into position against and parallel with timber D andlowered.until the grip-plates substantially contact the upper edge of timber D.The grip-plates are then backed oftirom the timber-by the reverseoperation of, the depending arms of the lumber grapple causing theopposing trolleys to be drawn toward their respective drive shafts.Timber C then drops into a snug position beside timber D and the lumberand timber grapple assemblies may then be moved to pick up anothertimber. It will be observed that the advantage of piling lumber in thismanner is peculiar to a grapple of the type having grip plates forengaging the lateral surfaces of theobjecttobe'carried.andthat'thisradrantagecannct: be obtained by deviceswhich engage; the bottom: of the: object to. be carried.

It will now be apparent that there. is. provided by thepresentzinvention a timber grappleior use incombinaticn with. a standardlumber grapple, which can be entirely operated, including its attachmentto and detachment from the lumber grapple, by the crane operator whocontrols: the lumber grapple, and that all operations of. the timbergrapple may be conducted without any manual assistance on the floor ofthe. lumber mill or in the lumber yard. There is thus obtained theadvantage of more expeditious handling of bothlumber and timbers,orother loads, and also the advantage of eliminating a hazardous workassignment. The timber grapple is made with a minimum number of partsand maximum simplicity of design, ingeniously contrived for bothmechanical attachment to and energizing by the standard lumber grapple.

It is to be understood that the language and expressions which have beenemployed are. used as terms of description only and not of limitation,and that the invention is not limited to use with lumber nor to theexact details of construction shown and described, for changes andmodifications will readily occur to persons skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a standard lumber grapple havingrotatabledependingarms provided' with'horizonta-l fingers projecting inwardly ofthe lumber grapple, a timber grapple com prising a framework, a driveshaft in each' corner of the framework disposed axial alignment with thecorresponding depending arms of the lumber grapple, a pair of oppositelydisposed load engaging members connected in driven engagement with apair of said drive shafts for movement into and out of engagement with atimber, and a bracket arm rigidly secured to, each of said drive shaftshaving a socket portion for detachable engagement with the corresponding.horizontal finger of said lumber grapple for connect.- in'g said timbergrapple to said lumber grapple and. for actuating the drive shaft ofsaid timber grapple upon rotative movement of the depending .arms ofsaid lumber grapple.

2. A timber grapple for detachable connection with a lumber grapplehaving rotatable depending shanks equipped with horizontal feet,comprising a. pair of oppositely disposed load. engaging members movableinto and. out of engagement with the timber to be carried, a pluralityof rotatable arms arranged for detachable 001111.801" 'tion with thehorizontal feet, of. said lumber grapple, and a driving connectionbetween said last mentioned rotatable arms and said load engagingmembers arranged. to maintain said load engaging. members in-open,.disengaged. position in one position of the lumber grapple feet and tomaintain said load engaging members in closed, engagedipositionin asecond position of said lum; ber' grapple feet.

3. An auxiliary rapple device. for detachable connection with a lumbergrapple having rotatable depending shanks with horizontal feet,comprising a frame, rotatable hangers on said frame arranged to engagesaid horizontal feet for suspending the device, said hangers beingrotatable by said feet when so engaged, opposed load engaging members onsaid frame, and a driving connection between said rotatable hangers andsaid load engaging members for moving said members together and apart toengage and release a load.

4. In a grapple device, a longitudinal frame member having a drivingshaft and an adjacent driven shaft at each end thereof, suspensionhangers for the grapple device on said driving shafts, an endlesssprocket chain having parallel reaches disposed longitudinally of saidlongitudinal frame member driven by sprocket wheels mounted on saiddriven shafts, load carrying members connected with said chain reaches,a gear and pinion connection between one of said driving shafts and itsadjacent driven shaft, and a sprocket wheel and chain connection betweenthe other of said driving shafts and its adjacent driven shaft wherebyoppositely directed rotary movements of said driving shafts cooperate todrive said first mentioned chain to actuate said load carrying members.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said load carryingmembers are slidably mounted on said longitudinal frame member andinclude pivotal lifting arms with oppositely disposed load clampingelements.

6. In a grapple device, a longitudinal frame member, a pair ofoppositely disposed load engaging members slidably mounted on said framemember and movable toward and away from each other for engagement anddisengagement with a load to be carried, a driving shaft and an adjacentdriven shaft at each end of said longitudinal frame member, an endlesssprocket chain disposed longitudinally of said longitudinal frame memberdriven by sprocket wheels mounted on said driven shafts, said loadengaging members being connected to the reaches of said sprocket chainone to each reach intermediately thereof, a gear and pinion connectionbetween one of said drive shafts and its adjacent driven shaft, and asprocket wheel and chain connection between the other of said driveshafts and its adjacent driven shaft whereby oppositely directed rotarymovement of said drive shafts is translated into unitary movement ofsaid first mentioned sprocket chain.

7. In a grapple device having a rigid frame, a pair of trolleys slidablymounted on the frame for movement longitudinally in parallel paths, loadengaging means carried by said trolleys, a drivin shaft and an adjacentdriven shaft in said frame disposed at each end of the path oflongitudinal movement of said slidable trolleys, an endless sprocketchain disposed longitudinally of said paths driven by sprocket wheelsmounted on said driven shafts, one of the reaches of said sprocket chainbeing connected to one load engaging means and the other reach of saidsprocket chain bein connected to the other of said load engaging means,and driving connections between each of said driving shafts and itsadjacent driven shaft whereby oppositely directed rotary movement ofsaid drive shafts is translated into unitary movement of said firstmentioned sprocket chain.

8. In a grapple mechanism having a longitudinal frame member fixedlydisposed relative to the lifting connection of said grapple, a pair ofslidable members mounted on said longitudinal frame member, means formutually urging said slidable members toward and away from each other, a

carrying arm pivotally connected at one end thereof to each of saidslidable members and having a load engaging member attached to the otherend of said arm, said load engaging members being'disposed oppositely infacing relation and having gripping surfaces below said pivotalconnections and spaced apart a greater distance than said pivotalconnections whereby the Weight of the load tends to urge saidload-engaging members toward each other in tong-like engagement withsaid load.

9. In a timber grapple and the like, a horizontal frame member, a pairof members mounted for sliding movement on said frame member, means formoving said sliding members toward and away from each other, ahorizontal pivot on each of said sliding members transverse to thedirection of said movement, an arm on each of said pivots extendinghorizontally in a direction away from the other member, and opposedvertical grip plates pivotally mounted on said arms below said pivots,said grip plates being spaced apart a distance greater than the distancebetween said pivots to exert a tong-like clamping action on a loadsupported by the grip plates.

10. A grapple device comprising a frame, load engaging members on saidframe movable into and out of load engaging position, a plurality ofhanger brackets for suspending said frame, means mounting said hangerbrackets on said frame for rotation about vertical axes, and meansoperable by the rotation of said hanger brackets in opposite directionsto move said load engaging members into and out of load engagingposition.

11. A timber grapple for use with a rectangular lumber grapple havin adepending rotatable arm at each corner, comprising a rectangular frame,load engaging members on said frame movable into and out of loadengaging position, hangers at the corners of said frame engageable withsaid lumber grapple arms to suspend said frame from said arms, anddriving means operable by the rotation of said arms to adjust said loadengaging members.

12. A timber grapple for use with a lumber grapple having dependingrotatable arms, comprising a frame, load engaging members on said framemovable into and out of load engaging position, hanger brackets mountedon said frame for rotation on vertical axes and engageable with saidlumber grapple arms to suspend said frame from said arms, and meansoperable by rotation of said brackets to adjust said load engagingmembers.

WILLIAM A. HYMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,765,023 McWane June 17, 19301,767,525 Hoffman June 24, 1930 1,807,1 4 Meyer May 26, 1931 2,276,905Windsor Mar. 17, 1942 2,445,019 Breslav July 13, 1948

